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The importance of a pleasant workspace

The average full time employee works forty hours per week - nearly a quarter of their time – so it’s important that their place of work should be an inspiring and pleasant environment to be in.

A study by the American Society of Interior Designers showed that employees who like their office environment were 31% more likely to be satisfied in their job. A similar study by Metro Design showed that of 100 employees “almost half (49%) said that an office makeover would increase their productivity and more than half thought a better working environment would make them more organised (64%) and enable greater job satisfaction (62%).” So how can you go about creating an office environment that makes employees feel good about where they work?

If you are currently in the market for a commercial property, there are a few key things to consider when deciding whether a space has the potential to become a nice place to work. Firstly, layout is very important as it will affect how your employees interact with each other. A large open plan office is great for communication and interaction but what if your employees need a quiet space to work in alone and uninterrupted? You should think about how you will organise the space to suit your employees’ needs and if there are any permanent structural elements that stand in the way of this, then that space is not for you.

Another key element to consider is lighting. Studies have shown that good lighting is one of the most important factors contributing to a pleasant working environment. Large windows that let in lots of natural daylight are obviously preferable to tiny windows that look out onto brick walls. Dark, dingy offices can be unpleasant to work in, so it’s important to make sure that natural daylight is supplemented by good electric lighting to keep offices bright and cheery when the nights start pulling in.

Once you’ve chosen a good space, the next step is to furnish it. Metro Design’s survey suggested that 38% of workers sited a comfortable chair as one of the most important elements of a pleasant working environment so don’t skimp on furnishings. Make sure you choose chairs, desks, storage and equipment that will help your employees to complete tasks efficiently and comfortably. You may also want to add some decorative elements like plants, pictures and pinboards to get away from that sterile whitewashed feeling.

Finally, allow your employees leeway to turn their immediate work space into an area where they want to work. For example, allowing them to move around the items on their desk to suit them and letting them add extra items that will make them feel more comfortable (e.g. a lamp or a desk tidy).You don’t necessarily have to give them free rein, after all you still want it to look professional, but a few personal photographs won’t hurt anyone.

A pleasant working environment can really make a difference to your employees’ morale and is usually just a matter of thinking about your employees needs. Good morale brought about by small tweaks to office design or décor can help to increase job satisfaction and productivity making for a more successful, happier business.

If you’re looking for flexible commercial space in a pleasant environment, King Street Industrial Estate in Langtoft could be a great solution for you. Our smart, modern industrial units can be customised to suit your needs and offer great views over our well maintained estate and the surrounding countryside. King Street Industrial Estate is conveniently located between Peterborough and Stamford. For more information, you can view our industrial units to let online or call us on 01778 560963.